


it's way more than tragic

by sandpapersnowman



Series: Arthur Bailey Does One Gay Thing Per Episode [2]
Category: Blood Drive (TV)
Genre: First Kiss, M/M, Platonic Kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-22
Updated: 2017-06-22
Packaged: 2018-11-17 12:58:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11275758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sandpapersnowman/pseuds/sandpapersnowman
Summary: Arthur runs into the Scholar down in the diner. He looks sad.





	it's way more than tragic

**Author's Note:**

> title from phoenix's [oblique city](http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/phoenix/obliquecity.html) i guess!

He feels bad for him. At first he thought the Scholar was the guy's son or something, but then he'd seen them all over each other at the tents the first night.

The Scholar seems nice, y'know? Arthur's met enough people on the spectrum to get the autism vibe when it's there, and besides the fact that the kid is like a scrawny little engine-fixing god, Arthur would put his money on childhood trauma, too. 

This race brings out the worst in everyone, apparently.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asks. He does accept a cup of coffee now, even if he isn't going to drink it. The Scholar seems to appreciate the gesture, and grins to himself.

"No," he says honestly. "Just wanted to get some coffee."

Arthur nods. 

"Are you and Grace together?" the Scholar asks.

Arthur laughs.

"I don't think so," he admits. "She's got a lot going on, and I'm... A cop."

The Scholar smiles.

"Yeah."

Arthur takes a sip of the coffee. It's really not that bad, even if the caffeine might keep him up longer than he'd like.

"It's Arthur, right?" the Scholar asks. Arthur nods. "Would you kiss me?"

Arthur raises his eyebrows at him. _What about the Gentleman?_ goes unsaid.

"Every day might be the last one, and I've never really been kissed." He shrugs, and his thin fingers mess with a fork on the counter. _And now I know the Gentleman doesn’t care about me_ goes unsaid as well. "No hard feelings or anything if you don't want do, don't worry. I just thought I'd ask."

Arthur can feel himself blushing, the color in his cheeks thankfully hidden in the dim diner. What him and Grace had done was one thing -- that was life or death, and Grace is sexual and flirty enough most of the time that it didn't seem all that odd to suddenly be having sex with her in a car going over 80.

"Okay," he says, before he fully thinks it through.

Worst case scenario, he feels uncomfortable, maybe the Scholar's breath is bad, or his lips are chapped. It'll mean a lot to the kid, and with all the shit ahead of him, he may as well get in good deeds where he can.

All the shit ahead for them both, really.

The Scholar is blushing now too, but he's already pale enough that Arthur can see the red just fine despite the lack of lighting.

"Really?"

Arthur turns on the stool to face him.

"Yeah," he says. He thinks he should say something about how the Scholar deserves it, or how he feels bad for him, but he doesn't want this to come off as any more of a pity kiss than it is.

The Scholar turns toward him too.

Arthur cradles his cheek in his hand, slowly in case the Scholar changes his mind or isn't up for physical contact, but he leans into it instead. He can't look Arthur in the eye, but he's grinning down between them like he's thrilled, so he doesn't take it as discomfort.

He kisses him softly. There's no spark, or heat, but it's not terrible. The Scholar gets much more out of it than he does, shaking in his seat by the time Arthur pulls away.

He's about to ask if he's alright when the Scholar laughs with genuine elation.

"Thank you," he sighs. "I appreciate it."

Arthur smiles at him.

"No problem."

They say goodbyes and goodnights, and the Scholar leaves looking like he's got just a little less weight on his shoulders.

Arthur smiles. Grace would kick his ass, but she'd probably think it was sweet, too. He won't tell her tonight. Maybe on the road tomorrow.

He grabs something off the plate the Scholar has left on the counter. Just because he has food waiting in the room doesn't mean he wants this to go to waste.

Besides, Grace probably ate the corndog already, anyway.


End file.
